


Perchance to dream, Part 2

by justinsbuzz



Series: Celestial Connverse-gence arc [2]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-11
Updated: 2019-05-11
Packaged: 2020-02-29 21:59:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18787045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justinsbuzz/pseuds/justinsbuzz
Summary: Steven and Connie search for Obsidian, while trying to come to grips with the nightmare they shared, but end up finding something they never saw coming.





	Perchance to dream, Part 2

**Author's Note:**

> This. Took. Too. Long. To. Write. I was really hoping to have this done by last freaking weekend, but here we are. and in all honesty, I'm out of steam, so this writing hiatus couldn't come at a better time. I'm starting to run out of material, and hopefully we'll hear something soon. 
> 
> And also, comments, thoughts, basically something to help improve things would be appreciated. thank you and enjoy!

Perchance to dream. Part 2

 

The spring wind gently blew through the green, vibrant leaves of the forest, air from the freshly bloomed trees wafted over the two teens, combing the forest for a strange and possibly terrified gem. Connie took point, leaving Steven to watch her back. While he and Connie walked through the trees, Steven took in the area around them, memories, semisweet, flooded his mind. The few times he and the Gems went camping, the time Steven met Onions eccentric friends, the time…. the last time he and Connie were here. The moment he lost Connie to Aquamarine and her Topaz guards. Watching Connie get meshed between the guards, trying to save her and his friends from the ship, and abandoning them all to pay for a crime that had never happened, between two people no one would have guessed were the same person. 

‘I love you.’ Steven remembered saying to those who were in the water as the doors were closing. Secretly, and nearly shamefully, he was mostly directing those words to only one person below him. The one he loved, the one who was always going to fight by her side, but abandoned at the worst of times.

“Hey? Steven?” Steven heard Connies voice, gently shaking his shoulder trying to bring him out of a trance. Steven snapped back into reality, looking around to see that he was slumped against the tree. He was feeling exhausted. 

“Connie?” Steven asked. “Wha… did I nearly fall asleep?”

“I wouldn’t say ‘nearly’, so much as ‘almost passed out and nearly landed face first into a tree’.” Connie replied. “If you hadn’t said something, you would be picking bark out of your teeth. You didn’t sleep much last night, did you?”

“Honestly, no.” Steven replied, sounding guilty. “I just kind of laid there. Staring at the wall. I thought that after I helped you calm down that I would be able to go to sleep, but then I just…”

“Couldn’t?” Connie asked Steven, finishing his line of thought. “I tried to go to sleep too. But all I could see was you, lying there on that cold gray floor. Lifeless.”

Connies eyes began to well up as she tried to finish, but all she could do is turn away and dry her eyes, making sure Steven didn’t see is knight showing some form of weakness.

“We- we need to keep moving. We have to find Obsidian. She’s the key in all of this.” Connie said, as she walked deeper into the forest. Steven mustered all of his strength to keep moving, but he couldn’t concentrate on the task at hand. There was something wrong with Connie, and she seems to want to avoid talking about anything else but finding obsidian.

“Connie. What do you mean by ‘she’s the key in all of this’? What’s going on?” Steven tried to ask Connie, but at that moment, Connie picked up pace, moving towards brooding hill. “Connie, what is it? Why wont you talk to me!?”

“Because it never happened!” Connie yelled, her voice echoing throughout the forest. Steven could see her hands shaking before balling up into a fist and then gently opening unclenching. She then turned to a nearby log and sat down. “It…it was just a dream, wasn’t it? You didn’t die, even though you felt so real. resting in my arms. The weight, the fading warmth. You died in my arms Steven. You died.”

Connie was staring down at her hands, her thumb running across her fingers as though she was feeling some invisible cloth, but eventually felt a tear drop landing on her finger tips. Steven walks over to a small spot on the log that wasn’t covered in moss to sit right next to Connie, grabbing hold of her hand. Like instinct, her had latched onto his as she started to break down, silently crying on Steven’s shoulder.

“Connie…It…” Steven began to speak, putting an arm around Connie, trying to comfort her. Words were not coming as easily as he hoped. “It... may have been just a dream, but it was an unusual one. It was definitely White Diamond that caused it, but that’s all she could do. Just giving us bad dreams.”

Steven took his other hand, and touched Connie’s cheek with it, wiping away the tears that were streaming down her face that was highly unusual for him to see. Connie never cried like this. For the most part, she always seemed like the brave one. But now, the nightmare has begun to tear down the walls she tried so hard to put up. And with that thought in his mind, Steven pressed his forehead against hers, as though he was trying to become one with her thoughts.

“But I’m here. I’m alive.” Steven told a sobbing Connie. “I’m ok, Strawberry. I’m here, I’m here. I love you, and I’m here with you.”

Opened her eyes a little, to stare into Stevens.

“Are…are you?” Connie asked, sounding very unsure about things.

“Connie, if that dream had been real, do you really think I could go out that fast, with you there?” Steven asked, trying to get Connie to chuckle at least. “That was a dream, and I’m really here.”

“I don’t know…what to think…anymore.” Connie attempted to reply, slowly wrapping her arms around Steven. “I’m suppose to be a fierce some knight for you, but after one nightmare I break down. What kind of knight am I?”

“One that has a big heart. One that is kind, brave, strong, Intelegent, and my best friend.” Steven replied. “Not all walls can stay up forever, but not all walls are impossible to rebuild.”

“I’m…I’m sorry. I haven’t been sleeping too well. High School is starting to get worse. Studying has taken up most of my time.” Connie spoke, confessing the school life she’s been trying to build with her classmates, and trying to keep her struggles and issues under wraps. “Teachers are being purposely difficult. And any attempt of construction a social life with classmates went out the window the moment Kevin found Peridot’s fanfics. He’s been spreading some nasty rumors. He’s been saying I’m stalking you, writing about some weird twisted stuff. Highschool is so miserable, and I don’t know how to tell my mom that without sounding like a teenager who just doesn’t feel like going to school.”

“I never realized it was that bad.” Steven said.

“And most people forget how bad it was for them when they were going.” Connie replied, her voice becoming calmer. “I just wished I was being taught by Pearl like you. Just having your own thing going on.”

“I… I wish for that too.” Steven said, lost in daydream. “we would just spend all of our time together. Having pearl be your teacher would work, since she’s already your sword fighting teacher. “

“If only she had something to convince my mom in going through with that idea.” Connie said. “I know I should tell her about that, but I just don’t know the words to say. I was thinking of you and Pearl doing it for me.”

“Connie. I don’t think that would work.” Steven said. “Being up front and honest works most of the time with her. Pearl and I can try to help defend you, but you have to be the one who opens the door. And I don’t see any real difficulty. Ever since you all moved to beach city, she’s really become more laid back. Sometimes a little more laid back than I ever thought possible with her. We’ll talk about it later on, but we still need to find Obsidian.”

Connie’s eyes widened at the realization that they were in the forest for a reason.

“She’s probably at Brooding Hill.” Connie said, moving her head away from Steven and standing up. “I mean, If you were a confused, alienated, and somewhat perturbed Gem who might have found out something terrible about their past, where would you go?”

“You have a good point.” Steven replied, only taking a half of a second to come to the realization that that’s where they should have been heading towards all along. “But…. which way is it?”

“Oh it’s…it’s over….um. Oh no.” Connie attempted to reply before realizing that they’re lost in the large grove. “Well, this is a first. I’ve never really got lost before.”

Then an idea came to Steven

“What if…. I jumped?” Steven awkwardly asked. “Like, just high enough to see over the tree tops? Does that sound weird?”

Connies eyes widened

“That would work. Quick turnaround. I’ll climb on your back so you could have an extra pair of eyes.” Connie told Steven, who was somewhat confused.

“I could just float for a bit and turn around to see.” Steven said, causing Connie to deflate a little. “OK, climb on.”

Connie giggled as she climbed onto Steven’s back. Once there, he jumped up, through the leaves and looked around at the vista of trees around him.

“Steven! Over there!” Connie yelled, pointing behind Steven. they could see Brooding hill, with a dark dot sitting at the top of it. “We were really off course! We kept going the way we were, and we would have ended up in the next town over.”

Steven and Connie landed softly on the ground, and made their way towards the hill.

“Connie. You said earlier that she was the key to all of this. What did you mean by that?” Steven asked Connie while briskly walking.

“The dream. White Diamond.” Connie began to speak. “When…it happened. It was just me and White Diamond. Alone. She said that once the other Obsidians on earth awaken, she’ll take back what’s rightfully hers.”

“Earth?” Steven asked.

“And all of the materials and resources it has. Earth is very unique, and she lamented handing it off to Pink. To your mom.” Connie replied; her eyes focused on the direction to the hill. “Blue and Yellow are no longer instrumental to her insane plans, because she restarted a project behind their backs. ‘Project: Obsidian’. In other words, Obsidian has a lot of explaining to do once I get my hands on her.”

They made their way to the near top of the hill, where Obsidian was sitting, stairing up at the sky.

“took you long enough. Bet you thought that awkward romantic moment would have drawn me out like catnip, but that doesn’t happen in this plane of reality.” Obsidian spoke, not even bothering to look back at them. “Might have worked on Lapis and Peridot, who have been following you with a pad of paper and a pencil.”

“Obsidian.” Steven said, walking over to her. “What happened? What did you see that made you run off?”

“What does White Diamond know about you?” Connie said curtly.

Obsidian stared at the cloudless skies, her eyes seemingly scanning for something in particular. After listening to the both of them, her eyes landed back on the temple south east of them.

“That.” Obsidian said, pointing at the temple.

“The temple?” Steven asked.

“No, the statue surrounding it. The gigantic rock carving of a huge being. Have you ever given any thought to what that is a statue of?” Obsidian asked, knowing they weren’t going to have an answer. “That’s…. Obsidian. I’m…I’m supposed to be that.”

Both Steven and Connie walked up to both sides of obsidian and sat down.

“A long time ago Pink, Amethyst, Garnet, and Pearl fused into a giant fusion named Obsidian. When a small fleet of gem ships attempted to retake earth, Obsidian spent to time in wiping them all out.” Obsidian spoke, still gazing at the temple. “Blue and Yellow were mortified as to what a small group of rebel gems were capable of doing, and wanted nothing more to do with Earth. White, on the other hand, was intrigued with it. She slowly became obsessed with Obsidian, but wasn’t a huge fan of fusions. So she started the project.”

“How do you know all of this?” Connie asked, looking very worried.

“I…saw it all. When I looked into Steven’s mind, White Diamond was still connected, to some extent. Almost like blowing out a candle, and the relighting it just by having the flame chase the smoke down to the wick.” Obsidian replied in a flat tone. “And it was there where I saw it all, and my memories unlocked. White wanted to grow an Obsidian army, but it didn’t take. The obsidians were made of the essence of all the Diamonds. The Diamonds essence is the stuff you see in the old injectors at the kindergartens. Every Diamond has the ability to create certain types of gems with certain personalities. But when you take all of their essence at once, without Pink Diamonds essence, and mash them into a gem…that gem would have no idea what it’s supposed to be.”

A tear streaked down Obsidians cheek, from the side that has her gem in it.

“We were freaks. Mutants. They shut down the projects, and locked us all away. Or at least not until a few of us were stowed away in a particular ship and sent to earth. I don’t know what game White Diamond is playing at”. Obsidian spoke, staring back up at the sky. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to-”

Obsidian stopped speaking. Her eyes had become fixated on a small patch of sky. Where two small dots appeared. At that moment, a faint siren sound could be heard from Brooding hill.

“What is that?” Steven asked, staring at the small dots flying towards beach city in fear. “Are those White Diamond’s ships?”

“I don’t think it matters what it is. We have to get back to beach city. Now!” Connie said, standing up and turning to the tree line. “Lapis! Peridot! think you can give us a lift back?”

In that instant Lapis and Peridots head stuck out from a bush near the forest.

“We’re not here!” Peridot squeaked with a high pitch voice.

“Yeah, we’ll give you a lift.” Lapis said with a smirk.

Beach City hasn’t had a city-wide emergency since last fall, but if this had happened a month later, in the beginning of tourism season, it would have been more chaotic than the group could have handled on their own. Steven and Obsidian rode on top of Lapis’s back while Connie held onto the underside of Peridots trashcan lid that she has used as an improvised awkward flying device.  
While they flew towards the city, they saw small beams of light, flickering between the two objects. The closer they got to the beach, the easier, yet more unbelievable, it was to see that it was the Sun Incinerator, being fired upon by the Leg-Ship from certain nodes. Even though it seemed that the Sun Incinerator attempted to evade, it took a critical hit and began to dip towards the ocean, only to barely pull up and skim across the water, both avoiding landing straight into the water, and crashing into Steven’s house.

“Lapis! We have to go faster! Lars is in there, and if we don’t do something, the Diamonds are going to annihilate him!” Steven yelled at Lapis.

“Wait. Is he that weird human with donuts for ears, and trying to be cool by not trying to be cool?” Lapis asked confusingly.

“Um…what answer will get us faster?!” Steven asked through the rushing wind. Lapis thought about this for a few moments before speeding up.

“I’M COMING MY KINDRED HIPSTER SPIRIT!” Lapis yelled with determination.

“WHAAAT?!” Peridot exclaimed, looking hurt. “I THOUGHT I WAS YOUR KINDRED SPIRIT! YOU TOLD ME THAT LAST MONTH!”

Peridot sped up to match Lapis’s speed, with a tear streaking down her face. Connie, on the other hand, was doing her best to hold on

“I HONESTLY THINK THAT SHE MIGHT BE SAYING THAT IRONICALLY!” Connie called out, gripping the lid hard while realizing what she said. “ACTUALLY, I DON’T KNOW! STILL FIRST YEAR OF HIGHSCHOOL AND BARELY GETTING THE JIST OF THESE THINGS!”

They touched down at the beach in front of Steven’s, or at least Lapis did gracefully, while Peridot went in a little too fast, causing Connie to have to drop Steven’s arms as he caught her while falling over, before Peridot crashed her trashcan lid into a sandcastle. The setting unfolded in front of them, on that no one could really have anticipated. On one side, the leg-ship literally stood, with scorch marks and chipped parts. Yellow and Blue Diamond stood in front of it, digging their heels deep into the sand. Their eyes were deeply scowling at the crashed ship and its crew that stood in front of it. 

And on the other side was the Sun Incinerator, its nose sticking up from a mound of sand. It took a hard landing, with the hull covered in holes, scratches, scorch marks, and what also looked to be a poor paint job where someone attempted to paint flames on it several times. The crew, The Rutile Twins, Rhodonite, Fluorite, and Lars Stared down the Diamonds while being unarmed, while Padparadscha was hiding behind them. Giving off the energy of a terrified child.

Seeing this caused Steven and Connie to run in the middle of them, preparing to stop them before things got out of hand.

“WAIT! STOP!” Steven cried out.

“Stay back, Steven. These people have come to kill you!” Both sides said at the same time. “Wait, we’re not going to harm him, you are! No, you are! YOU ARE!”

“Neither of you have come to harm me!” Steven called out to both of them, holding back an awkward laugh.

“Oh really? Tell that to them!” Both sides said at the same time, causing Lapis to snort and laugh really loudly.

“Steven! This weird being has caused the current rebellion against White Diamond to go off the rails, and allowing White Diamond to take more worlds from us and causing our cause to weaken!” Yellow Diamond said angerly, pointing a finger at Lars.

“’Weird being’? It was you who kidnapped me and Steven from here, forcing us to escape, which I actually died doing!” Lars yelled back at them “Plus, there was no rebellion when we arrived to any of their worlds. We just showed the gems there that they can live their own lives and overthrow their oppressors’ shackles!”

“Creating a vacuum of power and allowing White Diamond to roll in! we were in process of changing how things were being ran before you ran it all into the ground!” Yellow Diamond shouted back before squinting slightly “And on second thought, you do look familiar. I didn’t know humans could change their appearance at death. I didn’t think they could be brought back to life. Why are we protecting these people in the first place!”

“That….is a really long and complicated story. but seriously, calm down!” Steven shouted to both of them.

“Calm down? This vile pirate has been a scourge to our outlying colonies!” Blue Diamond exclaimed. “Why are you protecting this scum, Steven?!”

“Because he doesn’t know the truth about Rose!” Steven shouted loudly. “None of them know about what has been going on since the trial! They don’t even know about what happened on Homeworld! THEY DON’T KNOW ABOUT ROSE BEING PINK DIAMOND!”

For a moment, almost feeling like eternity, the only sound that could be heard was the sound of the waves. No one said a word. Suddenly, the sound of small shuffling feet and muffled crying came from behind Fluorite. Padparadscha slowly walked towards Steven, only to crumble at his feet.

“Ste…Steven will…tell the truth…that everything we knew…. was a lie…” Padparadscha murmured, a single stream of tears was rolling down from behind her long bangs. “I…I don’t…I can’t see…anything…Steven. Why can’t I see anything? Why, Steven?! WHY?!”

Steven stood there, shocked by Padparadscha’s words. He never knew someone like her would hold that kind of sorrow and anger in her. But he couldn’t blame her. Lars and his crew stood there, looking dumbfounded, while the Diamonds were no longer looking for a fight, but stood to see what was going to happen.

“A Padparadscha. I haven’t seen one of you in a long time.” Blue Diamond whispered. “You were all lost. Vanished. White Diamond had taken you all into her court, but vanished soon after. How did you survive, little one?”

“Yellow. Blue. These gems…they’re refugees of Homeworld. The first ones actually. They lived in secret and fear of being shattered for being different.” Steven said, sternly. “Whatever you have against Lars and his crew, let it go. Please.”

Yellow Diamond wore a blank look on her face, confused as to the turn of events. Blue, on the other hand, began to well up with tears.

“I…I never got the chance to know you. White Diamond took all of you away.” Blue Diamond whispered, walking gently closer to Steven and Padparadscha, before Connie stood in front of Padparadscha, in an attempt to guard her.

“No.” Connie said flatly.

“Connie…” Blue Diamond spoke softly.

“Connie, I don’t think she’ll harm her.” Steven told her, before turning back to Blue and Yellow Diamond. “We’re all in the same boat. White Diamond wants all our gems and our heads. Just…please. Let it go.”

Blue Diamonds eyes welled up even more, causing any other gem in the area to do the same, except Padparadscha, who was already ahead of them. Blue diamond reached out an open hand and scooped up all three of them, and brought them close to her.

“My…Padparadscha. It’s…it’s going to be ok.” Blue Diamond whispered.

At that moment, Greg, Garnet, Pearl, and Amethyst arrived back to witness everything unfold in front of them. And for the next hour, Steven and the crystal gems explained everything; the events of everything that happened after the trial, Steven knowing the truth about Pink Diamond and her reasons for starting the rebellion. The events of Garnet’s wedding, going back to homeworld and inciting a rebellion, and having to run away without a cure for the corruption. All parties were silent after hearing the story while the afternoon sun danced across the sandy beach. No words could be spoken while both parties were lost in thought. In the end, it came down to Blue Diamond cuddling Padparadscha to her cheek, while Lars and Yellow Diamond begrudgingly set aside their differences.

“Blue, Where have you been?” Steven asked Blue Diamond, as she slowly placed Padparadscha on the ground, still confused before being led away by the rutile twins. “You missed so much. The corrupted gems broke loose, most of them being brought back. And obsidian…wait…where did she go?”

Steven and Connie looked around, only to realize that she had given them the slip while the drama unfolded.

“Obsidian?! One finally formed?” Blue Diamond said, looking shocked. “That…that is not good.”

“No, it’s ok. She’s…normal, I think.” Steven said, unsure of himself. “She doesn’t seem dangerous. Just confused.”

“She doesn’t know everything, does she?” Blue Diamond whispered.

“I…I don’t know about that. She might have seen something inside of a dream I had. Something about her being a large fusion gem.” Steven said, sounding worried still. “She said she was suppose to be something like this statue surrounding the house.”

Blue looked at the house, and it seemed as though something had slowly dawned on her.

“I…no, we’ll need to keep a sharp eye out for her. She could be dangerous.” Blue Diamond spoke softly, trying not to let attract Yellow Diamond attention, which seemed to be mostly about studying Fluorite and her many feet. “As long as we make sure she doesn’t find any other Obsidians…curse you, White Diamond and your dangerous ambitions.”

Suddenly, Blue Diamonds eyebrows shot up in realization of something important.

“OH! Why we were gone for so long. Yellow, the presents!” Blue called out to Yellow, who just remembered something important as well.

“Quartzes! Unload the cargo!” Yellow yelled at the ship, who’s doors at the literal foot of the ship opened up, pouring out two dozen large Rose quartzes, carrying smaller injector bots, carrying large canisters of a ghostly white substance. “Steven. Behold. White Diamond-”

“WHITE DIAMOND’S ESSENCE!” Peridot shrieked as she ran right into one of the Rose Quartzes carrying a canister and nearly knocking them over. “How did you get a hold of these babies!”

Yellow looked very annoyed that Peridot had interrupted her.

“Don’t ask. All you need to know is that we can now start curing the corruption.”

Hearing the news, both Steven and Connie grinned broadly at Yellow Diamond, who wasn’t too used to people smiling at her, but mostly keeping their distance and avoiding eye contact. This was new territory for her.

“Yes! Steven! we can finally cure the corrupted gems!” Connie cheered.

“This is incredible! I want you to meet Nephrite, maybe get her cured first. The earth and sky beetles. Oh, maybe the one gem, I don’t know their name. The worm one!” Steven exclaimed while trying to figure out the name. “Should we just call her ‘the worm’, or something?”

Connie laughed out loud.

“I don’t know Steven!” Connie said, placing her hand on Stevens cheeks. “Maybe…”

“WE SHOULD GO ASK HER!” Both of them yelled out at the same time, hugging, laughing, and sighing in relief, with both Blue and Yellow looking on with slight smiles on their face. Lars, on the other hand, was vibrating furiously, turning more pink than usual.

“GAH! ENOUGH OF THIS MUSHY JUNK!” Lars yelled aloud, causing the diamonds to shift their focus to a furious Captain Lars. “Seriously, I’m gone for almost a year, and you two. YOU TWO. Are still playing the friend card when it’s freaking clear, Steven and Connie, that you two love each other!”

Steven and Connie looked back at Lars with blank faces.

“Uh, Steven?” Connie whispered “You think we should tell him?”

“No. let him do this, it’s funnier this way.” Steven whispered while smiling a little bit.

Lars went on a tirade that lasted for minutes. Griping and complaining how out of everything that has changed in beach city, the fact that those two are still just friends. The longer he went on, the savorier the reveal would be.

After a few moments, Lars had to catch his breath while almost everyone around him held back their laughter, except Peridot, who busted out laughing maniacally.

“They…they’re…they’re dating!” Peridot said, laughing loudly. “They’ve been dating for almost a year now! They even got grounded once for accidentally fusing while they were supposed to study!”

Lars’s face turned a very pale, almost as though he was back to his normal self again. And with that reveal, everyone busted out laughing, causing Lars to feel more insecure than ever.

“Great…What else has been going on?” Lars said, begrudgingly. At that moment, he turned to see Sadie and her band, walking over to see what the commotion was about. To lars, at that moment, he was frozen in place as Sadie walked up to him, not believing her eyes.

“Lars!” Sadie exclaimed wrapping her arms around Lars. “Lars. Is it…it is really you?”

“S…sadie?” Lars whispered.

**Author's Note:**

> The past 3 parties Steven and Connie had attended went as well as taking the finals while having a root canal being done. Is it possible for the 4th time to be the charm? more importantly, can Steven and Connie help Lars readjust to life on earth, and possibly with Sadie? Check it out in the next story; Gem-Pool Party!


End file.
